Twentieth+Welsh+6



The 20th amendment has six sections. Each section has to do with the executive branch (the president, vice president, etc.) Each amendment is very hard, and difficult to make because everyone has an different opinion. That is why there's sections in some of the amendments. Each of the 27 amendments had a specific meaning to the country and its rights. For each amendment made, there was a reason behind it. This amendment was ratified (passed) January 23rd 1933.


 * **Section One:** The terms of the President and Vice President end on January 20th after their first term. The president can run for a second term, but he has to be re-elected. Each term is two years. Our current President George W. Bush's second term is ending, which means he can't run for office ever again.
 * **Section Two:** The congress must meet up every year on January 3rd and at least once a year unless the government appoints a different day.
 * **Section Three:** If the president dies in office then the vice-president will take over. Or if the president and the vice-president don't qualify then the congress picks whom ever will refill their positions.
 * **Section Four:** If the death of who ever is in office occurs, the House of Representatives are allowed to choose a person whenever needed. Or if a vice-president dies in office dies then the Senate takes power of who ever will replace them.
 * **Section Five:** Section 1 and 2 will take place on October 5th.
 * **Section Six:** This article will not be in effect unless it will be approved as an amendment in the Constitution by the legislatures of 3/4ths states in seven years from the date of its submission.

This amendment helped solve many problems that were going on during the time. Later on, after this amendment was ratified they added the 25th amendment, stating that if a President ever gets **__sick__** in office the Vice President will temporarily take over until he/she is able to return as President.

=__Before the Amendment:__=

Before the amendment was made and ratified, the country went through a disorganized struggle with the occurring deaths of many presidents. We all should keep in mind that many illnesses were very incurable before the amendment was passed because they didn't have any medicine. Also many died because of how old and aged they were. Another huge problem in that time was that many of our presidents were assassinated while in office. This became a huge problem in the United States
 * 1) **Abraham Lincoln-** //Assassinated in office.// President Abe Lincoln was assassinated in office because of his beliefs in slavery and the Civil War. When he passed away the government had to have a new election. The new elections in each of these unfortunate events caused confusion and wasted a lot of the governments time because you need everyone's vote, and it was a majority. While attending //Our American Cousin// in Ford's Theater, John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln from behind. Lincoln was pronounced dead the next day.
 * 2) **Warren Harding-** //Died in office// . When president Harding died in office they had to re-elect a new president, much like Abraham Lincoln. This was very stressful and an inconvenience to the Congress.

=After the Amendment:=

The government created this amendment in order to quickly prepare and re-organize during such a crisis. If anything happened while the president was in office, the Vice President would take over. In the event of the Vice-president dying, the Senate would decide who would replace the Vice president.


 * 1) **Joh****n F. Kennedy-** //Assassinated in office.// Kennedy was killed in a car in a parade while he was in office. The vice president had taken over his place immediately after his assassination. This was when the amendment came into effect. It was a relief to the U.S.
 * 2) **Franklin Roosevelt:** //Died in office.// Many presidents died in office, but unlike the other, Franklin had a Vice President to step in when he passed away. This is another example of when this amendment came into effect.

=__Questions You May Have__=

Senator George W. Norris first turned his attention to the lame duck situation during the 1920s. The amendment was written and sponsored by him. His first attempt to push the amendment through Congress was in December of 1922. The Republicans were the leadership in the House of Representatives so he did not get any support for it until another ten years.The Senate ended up passing the amendment in February 1923 the it in March 1932. The House was never able to propose it even after the fifth attempt. But in 1930 the Democrats had control of the House of Representatives so Norris tried again. Congress ended up passing the amendment and started asking states to ratify it. The amendment was ratified on February 6, 1933.
 * Wh****o** **bro****ug****ht** **up the idea for the 20th amendment?**

He noticed the need for the amendment when President Warren G. Harding wanted his bill about government commitment to the construction of ships to be passed. He used his political power to bribe the lame duck Congress. He got them to support his bill and in return he promises them executive appointments. This made Norris really mad.
 * What made him notice the need for another amendment?**

When the Constitution was first written the newly elected Congress needed plenty of time in-between the election and work. But during the 20th century transportation became faster and easier. The legislators could get to the capitol much faster so the time in between the election and the beginning of the Congressional term needed to be shortened. If it wasn't, then the president ends up facing the Lame Duck syndrome.
 * What w****ere t****he reas****ons why the founders of our country decide on the president's inauguration to be the fourth of March?**

The date was moved to January because they wanted the elected president to move into office as fast as possible to avoid a longer Lame Duck syndrome.
 * Why was the date of the president’s inauguration changed to January?**

A Lame Duck Congress was like having a lame duck president. The newly elected Congress started their terms the third of January. The time in between the election and that date was called the lame duck syndrome. The time in between caused a lot of problems because a Senator who knew that he would be out pretty soon may not do a great job. They knew that their choices wouldn't matter so much to them since they'll be out pretty soon. So because of the lame duck syndrome people in Congress were sometimes taken advantage of because they were bribed. The president or officials could use a lame duck Congress to pass laws by bribing them.
 * What was the Lame Duck Congress?**

It is the time in between the election and the inauguration of the new elected president. During this time an elected official is still in office even though they had not been reelected. During this time it is kind of awkward and the president can hardly do anything during this time. When the date of the newly elected president’s inauguration used to be March 4th the time in between was too long. The 20th amendment shortened the time in between.
 * What was the Lame Duck syndrome?**

The amendment reduced the lame duck syndrome. It changed the date from March 4 to January 20th. Now the president is sworn in earlier to avoid the awkward time.
 * What did the amendment do** **to solve the Lame Duck syndrome?**

The amendment lets the old Congress choose the president.
 * How did the amendment solve the problem if none of the candidates got a majority of electoral votes?**

A president must get impeached for something that goes against the law, and something that may cause a riot through-out the U.S.A. This had happened with Bill Clinton in May of 1994. He got impeached because of his personal life, and it had caused many Americans across the country to go in a riot against President Clinton. If they didn't impeach him he would've set a bad example and would make our country look bad. = = = = =__**Current Events**__=
 * What happens if a President gets impeached?**


 * Article:** Opinions on the United States 2008 Presidential Election
 * Author:** Daniel J. Solove[[image:0BAMA.jpg width="203" height="198" align="right"]][[image:CliNTON.jpg width="177" height="190" align="right"]]

//This article was looked up and written by Melissa D.//
 * Summary:** The 2008 election takes place in November. Many people have different opinions on the election. Many Democrats have chosen Barack Obama to be a better candidate than other democratic can[[image:mccain.jpg width="168" height="253" align="left"]]didates, like Hilary Clinton. Democrats want to bring our troops home, which is almost impossible because we are so far into the war. But on the other side, John McCain is the top choice from the Republican party. He wants to slowly make agreements with the Middle East, and take what George Bush has done and improvise from there. Both parties have chosen a top choice, whom ever may become president. There are many different things that people think about all the candidates. Many people think that Hilary Clinton is too weak and insecure about her in-take on the war. People think she has mixed-up feelings. As for the Republicans, such as John McCain, disagree with the Democrats. Right now they have candidates who will have to make speeches all over the U.S. on why they should be President. People think that McCain thinks what he wants to think. Senator Obama (a candidate) says that he is too "Thick Headed". Some people have made the excuse that some candidates are too old to run. But that is when this amendment comes in place. God forbid any president dies when he gets in office, the Vice-President would immediately take over. This amendment will protect any man/women who is old, and wants to run for office. **My Opinion:** I think that from the democratic party Barack Obama should win, because he has a well organized campaign and is head-strong about his ideas involving the U.S. From the Republican Party, I think John McCain should win, because I think being "Thick Headed" may be the little push that this country needs. He is up-beat, and knows what he wants to do, how he wants to do it, and why he wants to. If I had to pick from both Barack Obama and John McCain I would have to choose... John McCain, just because I think he is a suitable choice, and has made his points on the U.S very clear. He knows what we need to improve this country and is willing to do whatever it takes.

George W.Bush was sworn in on Thursday January 20 for his second term. He said that he wanted to fight terrorism and promote democracy around the world. It was chilly outside that day while they walked thought the streets of the capitol. He was sworn into office by the frail Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist. He was the 16th president to serve for a second term. He addressed the public in his 21 minute speech and complimented the troops in Iraq for their bravery and sacrifice. Dick Cheney was sworn in by the speaker of the House of Representatives. More than 100,000 people were in the capitol. Many important people and former presidents were there. Security was tight since we were in wartime. Many protesters were there because they were against and disliked George W. Bush because of his choices in the War in Iraq.[|Click here to see the article] I think that George W. Bush is going to have a really tough time bringing his approval rate up. He is the 16th president to serve second term but I think he ws able to win the election just barely. Many protestors are against his decisions on the War in Iraq. He still determined to keep our troops there and I hardly see a reason. But from this article you could see that the 20th admendment still effects us today. Since the admendment was ratified our presidents have been sworn in on the 20th of January instead of March 3rd and we've avoided many problems since. //This article was looked up and written by Linda Z.//
 * Article**- Bush Embraces fire of freedom
 * Author**- Bill Nichols
 * Summary**


 * Article** - After Obama wins, Clinton warns of "False Hope."
 * Author**- Claudia Parsons

Our senator, Hilary Clinton, revealing from defeat in Iowa at the hands of Barack Obama, urged Democratic voters not to build up "false hope." In Iowa, which kicked off the process of choosing the next U.S president which it caucuses, Clinton is finishing in a disappointing third place. This resulted in a rage between her and Obama, who recently won Illinois. But Clinton, 60, who would be the first woman to be president for our country, has led national opinion polls for months, and was once spotted on the Democratic Presidential Term in November. As for Obama, who would be our first African American President, recently won New Hampshire. The fight comes when Clinton sends her poll to New Hampshire, causing more votes to come her way, and angering Obama. You may view the article here... [|Click here] //This article was looked up and written by Sal F.//
 * Summary:**

So your question is how can problems in the past link to problems now? Well since the creation of the 20th amendment we haven't ran into many problems. The lame duck syndrome still occurs but since we have reduced it most of the problems it caused are gone. When our presidents can't serve for some reason we've been able to get someone to fill in easily with no problems. Today these issues that used to cause problems are gone because of the creation of the 20th amendment.